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Department of Chemistry

Dr Paul Wilson

Royal Society University Research Fellow

Paul is a Royal Society Tata University Research Fellow work at the interface of polymer/materials synthesis/fabrication and electrochemistry. He previously studied chemistry at the University of Bristol (MSci, 1st Class, 2006) before completing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry (Warwick, Prof Andrew Clark, 2010). After spending 18 months working in a spin-out company working on reversible deactivation radical polymerisation and bioconjugation R&D, Paul returned to Warwick in late 2011 as a PDRA and then a senior research fellow in the group of Prof Dave Haddleton.

At the end of 2013, he took a senior research fellow (group leader) position in the group of Prof Tom Davis as part of the Monash – Warwick Alliance before being awarded a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship in 2015. Paul has expertise in (macro)molecular synthesis, supramolecular chemistry (self-assembly), bioconjugation and surface modification, all of which feature prominently in his current research.

His URF is focused on developing a platform for nanoscale synthesis and nanofabrication, through combining the capabilities of scanning electrochemical probe microscopy techniques with electrochemically-mediated organic, macromolecular and supramolecular chemistry to enable localised, spatially and temporally controlled chemical synthesis and modification at surfaces and interfaces.

p dot wilson dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk

024 765 23961

Office C5.12

Wilson Group

I do not hold formal office hours. My door is open most of the day and you are more than welcome to drop in. Alternatively, you can drop me an email to arrange an (in)formal chat.

Groups at Warwick

Affiliations

  • MRSC

Biography

  • 2019 - present Royal Society Tata University Research Fellow, University of Warwick
  • 2016 - 2019 Leverhulme Trust Early Career Research Fellow, University of Warwick
  • 2013 - 2016 Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia
  • 2013 - 2016 Monash - Warwick Senior Research Fellow, University of Warwick
  • 2012 - 2013 Senior Research Fellow, University of Warwick
  • 2011 - 2012 PDRA, University of Warwick
  • 2010 - 2011 PDRA, University of Warwick at Warwick Effect Polymers Ltd

I am working on the following projects at the moment:

  • Polymeric arsenicals as a functional platform for nanomaterials and nanomedicine
  • Novel ligation strategies for polymer-polymer and polymer-protein/peptide coupling
  • Engineering novel therapies for potent but restrictively toxic antimicrobial peptides
  • Engineering biological (nano)materials using natural and directed amyloidogenesis
  • Nanoscale control over 3D surface topology using localised electrochemical synthesis

Reversible deactivation radical polymerisation; organic synthesis; protein/peptide-polymer conjugation; antimicrobial/therapeutic peptides; protein/peptide-based materials; electrochemical synthesis; electrochemical surface modification.

Paul is a member of organic teaching section contributing to module leadership, lectures, tutorials and workshops. He also teaches on the Polymer MSc course.

Post-graduate teaching

CH967 - Polymer Synthesis - lectures and workshops

CH970 - Polymers in the Real World - module leader

CH971 - Polymer Laboratories - supervision

PGT Research project supervisor

Undergraduate teaching

CH401 - Research Project and Methodology - MChem student supervision

CH3G0 - Extended Lab - poster supervision

CH3E9 - Advanced Organic Chemistry and Laboratory - Module leader and lecturer

CH271 - Mechanistic and Biological Chemistry - lectures (Sabbatical cover 2019-20), tutorials

CH270 - Selective Organic Synthesis - tutorials

CH161 - Introduction to Organic Chemistry - tutorials and workshops

I am supervising the following PhD students:

  • Emily Pilkington, Monash - Warwick PhD Scholarship (co-supervisors Dr Pu-Chun Ke, Prof Tom Davis), Understanding the Structure, Toxicity and Inhibition of IAPP Aggregation at the Nanoscale (submitted)
  • Monica Kumar, MAS-CDT, Functional amyloids; investigating the dynamics of aggregartion and release of Somatostatin peptides and synthetic analogues
  • Mahir Mohammed, Precision synthesis using nanoscale electrochemistry
  • Boyu Zhao, Precision synthesis using nanoscale electrochemistry

We are always looking for enthusiastic people to join the team on both a short and long term basis. Please contact me directly to discuss project and funding opportunties.

Competitive scholarships for post-graduate study at Warwick are available on an annual basis. For more information check https://warwick.ac.uk/services/dc/schols_fund/scholarships_and_funding/

For a full publication list please check the links below

Google Scholar

orcid.org/0000-0002-9760-899X

*Denotes corresponding authorship

*Functionalisation and stabilisation of polymeric arsenical nanoparticles prepared by sequential reductive and radical cross-linking J. Tanaka, A. Evans, P. Gurnani, A. Kerr, P. Wilson Polym. Chem. 2020,11, 2519-2531

*A Sequential Native Chemical Ligation - Thiol-Michael Addition Strategy for Polymer-Polymer Ligation A. Rajakanthan, J. S. Town, P. Wilson, K. Kempe Polym. Chem. 2019, 10, 5242-5250

*Polymeric arsenicals as scaffolds for functional and responsive hydrogels J. Tanaka, J. Song, A. M. Lunn, R. Hand, S. Häkkinen, T. L. Schiller, S. Perrier, T. P. Davis, P. Wilson J. Mater. Chem. B 2019, 7, 4263-4271 (Emerging Investigators special issue)

*Microscale synthesis of multiblock copolymers using ultrafast RAFT polymerisation J. Tanaka, P. Gurnani, A. B. Cook, S. Häkkinen, J. Zhang, J. Yang, A. Kerr, D. M. Haddleton, S. Perrier, P. Wilson Polym. Chem. 2019,10, 1186-1191

*Tuning the structure, stability and responsivity of polymeric arsenical nanoparticles using polythiol cross-linkers J. Tanaka, G. Moriceau, A. Cook, A. Kerr, J. Zhang, R. Peltier, S. Perrier, T. P. Davis, P Wilson Macromolecules 2019, 52, 3, 992-1003

Self-Assembling Protein-Polymer Bioconjugates for Surfaces with Antifouling Features and Low Non-Specific Binding Y. Liu, T. K. Nevanen, A. Paananen, K. Kempe, P. Wilson, L-S. Johansson, J. J. Joensuu, M. B. Linder, D. M. Haddleton, Roberto Milani ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2019, 11, 3, 3599-3608

*Organic arsenicals as functional motifs in polymer and biomaterials science J. Tanaka, T. P. Davis, P. Wilson Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2018, 1800205

Profiling the Serum Protein Corona of Fibrillar Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide E. H. Pilkington, O. J. R. Gustafsson, Y. Xing, J. Hernandez-Fernaud, C. Zampronio, A. Kakinen, A. Faridi, F. Ding, P. Wilson, P. Ke, T. P. Davis ACS Nano, 2018, 12, 6, 6066-6078

High resolution visualization of the redox activity of Li2O2 in non-aqueous media: conformal layer vs. toroid structure P. E. Sharel, M. Kang, P. Wilson, L. Meng, D. Perry, A. Basile, P. R. Unwin Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 3053-3056

*Synthesis, aggregation and responsivity of block copolymers containing organic arsenicals J. Tanaka, S. Tani, R. Peltier, E. H. Pilkington, A. Kerr, T. P. Davis, P. Wilson Polym. Chem. 2018, 9, 1551-1556 (Emerging Investigators Special Issue)

*Thiol-reactive (co) polymer scaffolds comprised of organic arsenical acrylamides C. Footman, P. A.J.M. de Jongh, J. Tanaka, R. Peltier, K. Kempe, T. P. Davis, P. Wilson Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 8447-8450

Hydrolyzable Poly(PEGA) Colistin Prodrugs through Copper-mediated Photo-induced Living Radical Polymerization C. Zhu, E K. Schneider, V. Nikolaou, T Klein, J. Li, T. P. Davis, M. R. Whittaker, P. Wilson, K. Kempe, T. Velkov, D. M. Haddleton Bioconjugate Chem. 2017 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00242

*Specific and differential binding of N-acetylgalactosamine glycopolymers to the human Macrophage Galactose Lectin and Asialoglycoprotein Receptor J. Tanaka, A. S. Gleinich, Q. Zhang, R. Whitfield, K. Kempe, D. M. Haddleton, T. P. Davis, S. Perrier, D. A. Mitchell, P. Wilson Biomacromolecules 2017 18, 1624-1633

*Synthesis and Applications of Protein/Peptide‐Polymer Conjugates P. Wilson, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2017, 218, 1600595 (Talent article)

A traceless reversible polymeric colistin prodrug to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria C. Zhu, E. K. Schneider, J. Wang, K. Kempe, P. Wilson, T. Velkov, J. Li, T. P. Davis, M. R. Whittaker, D. M. Haddleton J. Control. Release 2017, 259, 83-91

Poly (2-oxazoline)-based micro-and nanoparticles: A review P. Wilson, P. C. Ke, T. P. Davis, K. Kempe Eur. Polym. J. 2016, 88, 486-515

A hydrogel based localized release of Colistin for antimicrobial treatment of burn wound infection C. Zhu, J. Zhao, K. Kempe, P. Wilson, J. Wang, T. Velkov, J. Li, T. P. Davis, M. R. Whittaker D. M. Haddleton Macromol. Biosci. 2016, 17, 1600320

*Surface patterning of polyacrylamide gel using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) E. E. Oseland, Z. J. Ayres, A. Basile, D. M. Haddleton, P. Wilson, P. R. Unwin Chem. Commun. 2016, 52, 9929 - 9932

Stability enhancing N-terminal PEGylation of oxytocin exploiting different polymer architectures and conjugation approaches J. Collins, K. Kempe, P. Wilson, C. A. Blindauer, M. P. McIntosh, T. P. Davis, M. R. Whittaker, D. M. Haddleton Biomacromolecules 2016, 17, 2755-2766

Reversible regulation of thermoresponsive property of dithiomaleimide-containing copolymers via sequential thiol exchange reactions Z. Tang, P. Wilson, K. Kempe, H. Chen, D. M. Haddleton ACS Macro Letters, 2016, 5, 709-713

Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerization: A versatile tool for materials synthesis A. Anastasaki, V. Nikolaou, G. Nurumbetov, P. Wilson, K. Kempe, J. F. Quinn, T. P. Davis, M. R. Whittaker, D. M. Haddleton, Chem. Rev. 2016, 116, 835-877.

Well-defined protein/peptide-polymer conjugates by aqueous Cu-LRP: Synthesis and Controlled Self-Assembly Q. Zhang, M. Li, C. Zhu, G. Nurumbetov, Z. Li, P. Wilson, K. Kempe, D. M. Haddleton, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 9344–9353.

*Organic arsenicals as efficient and highly specific linkers for protein/peptide–polymer conjugation P. Wilson, Anastasaki, M. R. Owen, K. Kempe, D. M. Haddleton, S. K. Mann, A. P. R. Johnston, J. F. Quinn, M. R. Whittaker, P. J. Hogg, T. P. Davis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 4215–4222.

In situ conjugation of dithiophenol maleimide polymers and oxytocin for stable and reversible polymer–peptide conjugates J. Collins, J. Tanaka, P. Wilson, K. Kempe, T. P. Davis, M. P. McIntosh, M. R. Whittaker, D. M. Haddleton, Bioconjugate Chem. 2015, 26, 633–638.

Magnetic nanoparticles with diblock glycopolymer shells give lectin concentration-dependent MRI signals and selective cell uptake J, Basuki, L. Esser, H. Duong, Q. Zhang, P. Wilson, M. R. Whittaker, D. M. Haddleton, C. Boyer, T. P. Davis Chem. Sci., 2014, 5, 715-726.

Copper(II)/tertiary amine synergy in photoinduced living radical polymerization: Accelerated synthesis of ω-functional and α,ω-heterofunctional poly(acrylates) A. Anastasaki, V. Nikolaou, Q. Zhang, J. A. Burns, S. Samanta, C. Waldron, A. J. Haddleton, R. McHale, D. J. Fox, V. Percec, P. Wilson, D. M. Haddleton, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 1141–1149.

Aqueous copper-mediated living polymerization: Exploiting rapid disproportionation of CuBr with Me6TREN Q. Zhang, P. Wilson, Z. Li, R. McHale, J. Godfrey, A. Anastasaki, C. Waldron and D. M. Haddleton, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 7355-7363.

Conjugation-induced fluorescent labeling of proteins and polymers using dithiomaleimides M. P. Robin, P. Wilson, A. B. Mabire, J. K. Kiviaho, J. E. Raymond, D. M. Haddleton, R. K. O'Reilly, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 2875-2878.